This invention relates generally to motor operation, and more specifically to methods and systems for operating motors, including one or more of an electronically commutated motor (ECM), which is sometimes referred to as a brushless DC motor, a variable speed induction motor (VSIM), and a switched reluctance motor (SRM).
Using the ECM as an example, such motors operate using a DC voltage. However, due to the availability of AC voltage outlets, ECMs are typically equipped for operation using an AC voltage. More specifically, ECMs are typically fabricated with a rectification circuit therein which rectifies the readily available AC voltage to a DC voltage that can be utilized by the operation components of the ECM (brushless DC motor). VSIMs and SRMs also operate utilizing a DC voltage.
Solar panels, when impinged by light, output a DC voltage. Based on the construction of the solar panel, the voltage is typically in the 12-36 volt range. While some devices are fabricated to utilize such a range of DC voltage, in other applications, an inverter is utilized to transform the DC voltage to the more typical 110 VAC or 230 VAC. This “inversion” to an AC voltage allows solar panels to be utilized to provide power to many conventional devices. However, the component cost of the inverter circuit may take away from the benefit of using solar power to operate electrical equipment, especially when the electrical equipment to be powered has a cost that is less than that of the inverter circuit. With regard to providing power for ECM operation, it has also been considered inefficient to invert the DC voltage from solar panels to an AC voltage (for application to a connector of an ECM) then rectify that AC voltage back to DC (using the internal rectifier circuit) for motor operation.
To provide an amount of power to operate such equipment, the 12-36 volts DC solar panels have been traditionally connected in parallel in order to provide an increased amount of current. However, it is known that connecting solar panels in series will increase the DC voltage output. However, such a configuration has heretofore been considered unconventional, since a relatively small percentage of electrical power consuming devices are configured to utilize high voltage DC as a power source.